A Little Ramen Can Make Anyone Smile
by Backstagewriter
Summary: On a cold freezing Autumn day, a little ramen can make anyone smile. Birthday Fic. Yes I know it's late Rated: T for a pinch of blood and gore.


Akizakura's Note: Just a little birthday fanfiction towards my all time favorite character, I know it's really late but I was busy on his birthday so I couldn't post this up. It's better late than never. I had this written up a long time again but I never posted it.

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A small boy of exactly five years old tightly clutched the small savings that he had in his tiny little hands. His tanned cheeks were a light rosy-red and his sapphire eyes glisten in the fading autumn sun. The breeze gently ruffled through his unruly golden strands of hair as he jogged excitedly down the empty Konoha street, no one would pay attention to him because of the Kyuubi Festival that took place every year on his birthday.

No one would beat him or cast cold glares because they had better things to do. He was free, free to shop down the empty street for a few hours before the villagers come back. The young boy closed his eyes just feeling the pure joy before feeling something bumping into him. The stench of alcohol rose up into his sensitive young nose. He peered up into a middle-age man holding a rather large sake bottle.

"Well, well, look what we have here," he grunted and the young boy's eyes filled with fear. Why, why was he here? Shouldn't he be partying his ass off at the festival he was never allowed to go?

"If it isn't the Kyuubi brat," He gave off a cruel chuckle.

"I'm not," the words escaped the young boy's lips before he realized it.

"Did you say something you damn monster?" the drunken man began to stagger towards him.

"I'm-I'm not," the boy could feel the salty tears forming up in his eyes, "I'm not a monster, I'm ….not…" _SLAP! _The boy fell backwards before falling onto the ground with a lifeless thump, Why, why me? What did I ever do wrong?

"Don't talk back to me you fucking demon," he cussed angrily, "This is all of your fault! All of it!" The boy just lay there hurt and he felt fury licked his chest. _Kill them, boy. These ignorant villagers, let's show them our power,_ the malicious voice would whisper whenever these would happen, but he knew what death was. He had seen the villagers in pain, kneeling in front of tombstones wailing and tears would fall like raindrops. He had seen the crimson blood pouring onto the cold freezing ground and had heard their frightful cries into the bloody night.

He had felt their sadness, a longing for something, for someone that they could never see again. They long for those warm arms to wrap around them and tell them everything was all right, for those soft fingers to brush away tears when they cry and for that kind smile that shone brightly. That's why he could never hate them, the villagers that had always detested him with a passion, just like the man before him.

"Give her back, please," the man's voice was a little more than a hoarse whisper as the boy sat up, "I just want to hold my daughter just one last time, please" The man was kneeling on the ground now and tears streamed off his cheeks as the boy placed his hands onto the drunken man's. It was something he found out he could do, project ghosts of the ones that had gone on, their last message for their loved ones.

"_Papa," _A small girl cried out softly, she had long curly brown hair and chocolate-brown eyes to match _"Papa" _The girl was holding a small teddy bear with a scarlet ribbon tied around its neck.

"Yuki-chan!" the man stretched his arms towards the little girl and held her close, like a grieving father. Each second melted away like butter on a hot pan.

"_Papa, you're so warm," _the young girl snuggled into her father's arms_, "Papa"  
_"Yuki-chan," the man's voice was soft and gentle, making the boy feel the hole inside of him grow.

"_Papa, I have to go now, but I love you always," _Yuki replied sadly, "_And thank you Oni-chan for letting me see my Papa one last time."_

"Yuki-chan, you're welcome," the boy replies warmly and the girl began to disappear.

"NO, YUKI-CHAN!" the man tightened his grip on his daughter, "DON'T LEAVE ME, please…." Yuki-chan began to give off a golden glow.

"_Goodbye,_" She whispered, a lone tear fell from her chocolate eyes and she was gone for good.

Naruto stared blankly at the unconscious man; after all, these tearful farewells can only take place in their minds.

"What are you doing here boy?" A kind voice snapped out of his thoughts, "Should you be at the festival?"

The boy shook his head, "I don't like the festival"

"I see, come inside," the older man led him to a ramen stand. The boy stood outside and tried to read the Kanji but wasn't taught yet as he tried to make sense of the scribbles.

"Ayame-chan, can you make a Miso ramen please?" at the warm scent of food the young boy poked his head into a stand. It was your ordinary ramen stand, but to the boy it was a bit different. Maybe it was the atmosphere or the warmth inside the ramen stand.

"Sure," a girl couple years older than the boy answered, she had short light brown hair that reached her shoulders and dark brown eyes.

"Here," the boy handed the man the money that he had clutched in his fists, "Is this enough?"

"No, this is on the house," the man refused to accept the money.

"Thank you Oji-san," the boy thanked the man, and took a seat on the red-cushioned chairs waiting for his dinner.

"What's your name boy?" he hesitated for a while, after adults heard his name, they would throw him out faster than him falling asleep in class.

"Uzumaki Naruto," the boy whispered as he searched for disgust on the man's face, but instead the man gently patted him on his head.

"Naruto-kun huh?" the man said, "It's a nice name" Naruto stared at the older man in shock and a chord of happiness swelled up inside him.

Naruto grinned what will become known as his trademark fox-grin.

"Here you go Naruto-kun", the girl placed a bowl of steaming ramen on to the table, "I'm Ayame, nice to meet you"

"Thank you, Itadakimasu!" Naruto fished out two pearly chopsticks from the can and begun to eat the bowl of steaming ramen before him. He can feel the soft noodles melting into his tongue like ice cream on a hot day as the hot soup swished around in his mouth. The soup warmed up the freezing insides of the boy like hot chocolate after a snow fight.

"How is it?" the Oji-san asked.

"The best!" Naruto grinned back, this was the first time he had ever celebrated his birthday. At that time, that ramen stand may have been unknown and a small food stand, but the feelings of pure joy and happiness covered over Naruto's own sorrow and hatred. A little ramen can make anyone smile.

FIN.

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Aki: "HAPPY LATE BIRTHDAY NARUTO!!" –TACKLES-

Naruto: -Falls backward- "Thanks"

Sasuke: -throws present- -lands on Naruto's head- "Happy birthday loser."

Sakura: "Happy birthday Naruto  Although I'm the only one who gave your birthday present on time, HA! ;)"

Kakashi: "I got lost on the road of life. "

Sasuke: "Hn….."

Aki: "Till next time people!"


End file.
